Run Away With Me
by huffleclaw22
Summary: Gregory Goyle rescues Daphne Greengrass the night before her arranged wedding, and she finally realizes what love is. ONE-SHOT.


**a/n: JKR owns all!**

**Still trying to promote the DaphnexGoyle pairing, I even made up a ship name for them; Gregorne. **

**This is set c. 1999 when they're 19.**

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Daphne Greengrass cried bitterly into her pillow. It was the night before her arranged wedding, where she'd be sold off to Theodore Nott. She wept in the darkness of her bedroom, where she could be alone, where no one could hear her belligerent sobs.

She did not love Theodore, that much she knew for sure. In fact, she'd been in love with Blaise Zabini, but he was already betrothed to her ex-best friend Pansy Parkinson. The very thought made her sick. Daphne could already see her future as an exhausted and emotionally (perhaps even physically) abused perfect little pureblood housewife.

Theodore did not love her, that was another thing she knew for certain. He just wanted her because she was pretty, and he needed her to produce him an heir, and to be everything a perfect pureblood wife should be.

That wasn't what Daphne wanted. She wasn't against the pureblood elite ideals, and had fully supported the Dark Lord's mission during the Second Wizarding War, but she could not bring herself to accept the fact that in a matter of hours, she'd be "Mrs. Theodore Nott".

It was an unbearable thought to her. Theodore was gross; his face was acne-ridden, he smelled like old cheese (for a reason she did not know), and he only brushed his teeth every other day. He was also demanding, and had been known to hit girls on occasion when they had refused to give him what he wanted.

Daphne let out another shuddering sob.

Suddenly, there was a soft knocking on her window-glass. She squinted in the darkness, seeing a shadowy figure aiming their lit wand through her window. It was hard to tell, but it looked like a man. Hoping to Merlin that it wasn't Theodore, she slowly crept over to the window, and opened it just a crack.

When she saw Gregory Goyle's face poking through the gap, she let out a shocked gasp. "Shut up an' help me through," he whispered in a strained voice, trying to push himself through into her bedroom. Daphne did as she was told, and opened the window a bit wider. Goyle landed on the floor with a soft thud.

"Gregory what in Merlin's name are you doing here-?" Daphne asked him. "Has Theo sent you to bring me to him early? If so, you can f*ck off now," she snapped.

"No Daphne, I'm here to do just the opposite, if ya'd bloody shut up," Goyle hissed. "Don't make an enemy outta the last person that can save you," he told her.

"Save me? What the hell are you talking about?" Daphne demanded, grabbing his shirt and pinning him against the wall.

"Loosen your grip and I'll tell you, Merlin!" Goyle threw his hands up defensively.

Daphne gave him a funny look, and then released him. "Talk," she said.

Goyle sighed, and shifted nervously on his feet. "Look I know that you've been in love with Blaise since seventh year, but remember that time in sixth year when we hooked up? Well I still remember that, and I still have feelings for you. I can't change the fact that Blaise is going to marry Pansy, but if you still have even a little bit of feelings for me left, I can save you from marrying Theo," he explained.

Daphne gawked at him. "You-You still have feelings for me-?" she asked in utter disbelief. Usually when she ended a relationship with a guy, they forgot all about her and moved onto the next pretty girl who was good in bed.

"Yeah...wasn't there just one second during those five weeks we dated that you loved me at all?" Goyle asked her, a look of desperation in his eyes.

"Gregory I wish I could say there was, but I can't," Daphne admitted, looking down at her feet in shame.

"Why?" Goyle begged.

"Because...Because...I'm not even sure what love is anymore. I thought Blaise loved me but then he's perfectly content to marry Pansy," Daphne choked out, and another shuddering sob escaped her lips.

"Then let me show you what it is." Before she realized what was happening, Gregory had wrapped a protective arm around her waist, and pulled her close to him.

"This is love, me sneaking in here and offering you a way out, because I care about your happiness and well being. I know I'll never be Blaise, but I can take care of you," he said. Daphne sniffled into his shoulder.

"But I'm to marry Theodore, how in the world do you plan to save me?" she asked through her tears.

Goyle gently pushed her away so he could look at her at arm's length. He managed a small grin and swallowed hard. "Run away with me."

Daphne's twinkling emerald eyes widened. Her mouth curled into a twisted smile. "But where would we go? My father will be so angry..."

"Do you really care if he's angry, Daphne?" Goyle asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"No...not as much as I'd care if I had to marry Theo," Daphne said, looking down at the floor.

"Then run away with me, get your things." Gregory had planted a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Please. Seeing you be wed to Nott would make me feel the same way you feel about the idea of Blaise marrying Pansy."

Daphne didn't have to think twice; go with Goyle who loved her or be forever wed to Nott, the choice was very simple. "I'll run away with you, once we're far enough away, I will send an owl to my father telling him that I've run off with a man who is of equal status to Nott...but I won't tell him who or where we are," she decided.

Gregory nodded and gently stroked her beautiful, silky blonde hair. "Okay. It's very Slytherin of you to kill two birds with one stone, informing your family to get rid of any guilt and also to terminate your father's anger by telling him of my status," he whispered.

"Yes..." Daphne murmured. She grabbed her old Hogwarts trunks and did a quick _accio _spell on all of her belongings. Gregory helped her shove all of her things in the trunks, and then she scribbled a quick note to Theodore.

_Theodore-_

_I don't love you, nor do I hold any desire to marry you tomorrow. So I have run away with a man who is twice the man you'll ever be. Don't worry-he's a pureblood._

_Daphne M. Greengrass_

"Come on, before someone wakes up and hears us," Goyle whispered, grabbing her trunks and pushing them out the window onto the roof of Greengrass Manor.

"All right," Daphne agreed, fastening her letter to the beak of her owl Glitter, and following her savior out the window.

Floating in midair, was a broomstick with a long handle. "I charmed the luggage to follow the broom, get behind me and hold on," Goyle instructed.

Daphne was hesitant, she wanted to tell him something. "Gregory..." she started, shifting on her feet.

Goyle looked at her. Her twinkling emerald eyes gleamed in the moonlight, as did her long and somewhat curly blonde hair. She was so beautiful to him. "Yes Daphne?" he asked in his usual rasp.

"I didn't love you that time in sixth year, and I suppose what Blaise and I had wasn't true love either...but I think I love you right now," Daphne said.

His bright amber eyes were fixed on her, and their gaze held so much love. She liked how tall and muscular he looked on his old Quidditch broom, and the way his short brown hair was just a bit ruffled as if he'd slept on it.

He was twice the man Theodore was, and it was true. He too was an ex-Death Eater, and a pureblood from an old wealthy family. But most importantly, he could give her the one thing that Nott couldn't.

Love. and. Happiness.

"Run away with me, Daphne," Goyle patted behind him on the broom.

"Of course, Gregory," Daphne hopped on behind him. They sped off towards the countryside, with her luggage following them.

She knew her father would never disown her for running off with a member of the Noble House of Goyle, and hoped he'd write her and welcome them home very soon. But for now, she was just happy to be loved.


End file.
